"Team India do not have a bigger player than him at No.5 or No.6 at the moment" - Harbhajan Singh on KL Rahul

Harbhajan Singh believes KL Rahul is the best finisher Team India have in ODI cricket at the moment.

Rahul batted at the top of the order in the ODI series against South Africa in Rohit Sharma's absence. However, he played at No. 4 in the second ODI against the West Indies, with Rishabh Pant promoted to the top of the order due to Shikhar Dhawan's unavailability.

While reviewing India's win against West Indies during a discussion on Star Sports, Harbhajan Singh showered huge praise on Rahul. He said:

"He [Rahul] is a complete player and I have no second thoughts that Team India do not have a bigger player than him at No. 5 or No. 6 at the moment. I feel he should be regularly played at this position."

The former India cricketer highlighted that Rahul is the cleanest striker of the cricket ball in the Indian team at the moment. Harbhajan observed:

"If KL Rahul doesn't open and bats in the middle order, it is a great sign for Team India because he is such an experienced player, he plays spin very well. If he plays the last ten overs, there won't be a better striker than him."

Rahul got off to a sedate start in the second ODI against West Indies. However, he upped the ante as he settled in, with his 49 runs coming at better than run-a-ball.

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"It is a blessing in disguise" - Harbhajan Singh on KL Rahul not getting to bat at the top of the order

KL Rahul has an excellent record in the middle order in ODI cricket [P/C: BCCI]

Harbhajan Singh added that either Dhawan or Pant should open the innings alongside Rohit Sharma. He said:

"I feel it is a blessing in disguise that he is not getting a chance to bat at the top of the order. Rishabh Pant or Shikhar Dhawan, once he comes back, should be part of the opening pair."

The 41-year-old pointed out that Rahul can form a formidable partnership with Suryakumar Yadav in the middle order. Singh reasoned:

"He [Rahul] should come in the middle order and if he bats with SKY there, I feel he will score a lot of runs. He plays excellent drives and along with that uses his feet very well, uses the crease to go back, pulls the ball if it is slightly short, has a very good cut shot, plays the ball late."

KL Rahul has enjoyed considerable success for the Men in Blue both as an opener and middle-order batter in ODI cricket. However, with Dhawan likely to partner Rohit at the top of the order, the Indian vice-captain will be expected to lend some much-needed experience to the middle order.